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Sometimes in communications technology, there are technologies separated only by the thinnest of margins. Fixed wireless and mobile internet are two such technologies that look similar, and function in much the same way, but differ in small yet important ways.What is Fixed Wireless?
Fixed wireless service is a comparatively new technology that operates commonly on radio transmission to connect established, wired communications systems. Point-to-point microwave transmissions are also under the umbrella of fixed wireless, and are used to bypass many of the obstacles terrestrial internet connections have.
What is Mobile Internet?
Mobile internet is the older, more familiar mobile technology, one that refers mainly to internet access delivered over a cellular network. It uses the same cell towers that handle voice traffic to send data to and from a mobile device. It's specifically designed for flexibility, and essentially works, as the name suggests, like a portable, mobile internet connection.
So What's the Difference Between Mobile Internet and Fixed Wireless?
The two look similar, and ultimately take you to the same internet, so it would be easy to mistake them. There's a clear difference in how the two work, however, as well as some differences in points of performance.
- Latency. Mobile internet has a much greater latency than fixed wireless. It takes longer for the signal to run the circuit of cellular towers than it does the comparatively point-to-point access provided by fixed wireless.
- Speed. Fixed wireless is much faster than mobile internet, for much the same reason as its low latency. The method of data provision is faster with fixed wireless, so the connections are faster in turn.
- Bandwidth. Fixed wireless commonly offers much greater bandwidth access than mobile bandwidth, owing mainly to the nature of the connection. Those cell towers are used by everyone in the vicinity, while the point-to-point connection of fixed wireless is generally only used by one party.
- Portability. Mobile internet's big advantage is its portability. It goes most everywhere voice traffic goes. Fixed wireless, meanwhile, requires a line-of-sight connection, or close to it, to produce a connection. Thus, fixed wireless is commonly seen in denser traffic areas.
How Do I Get Started With Fixed Wireless?
When you're ready to get started with fixed wireless, the place to start is with MHO Networks. We're a well-known and widely-used provider of fixed wireless, as well as metro ethernet and other options that can offer the speed, bandwidth, and latency. So give us a call and let us help you get started with a powerful new option in internet access.
